Pages

28 January, 2016

In my experience Rimmel has been great at producing quality drugstore base products for the most part so I was happy to try out their recent releases: their newest makeup primer called Fix & Protect and their "new and improved" Match Perfection Foundation...

Despite being seduced by the lure of the higher end brands, I'm like everyone else out there in the real world and can also be swayed by a good bargain so it made sense for me to try these out - especially the primer. I'm a bit of a primer "snob" and have mostly stuck to high end products so I was curious to see how Rimmel's new entry compares. Let's start with that shall we?

Rimmel Fix & Protect Makeup Primer

Rimmel says this new primer acts in three ways:

Protects the skin from pollution and UV related skin damage including hyper-pigmentation

Fixes and perfects appearance of skin with its light-diffusing properties to blur blemishes

Extends the life of your makeup, staying mattified for up to 7 hours

My impressions:
I'll get straight to it. I found the Fix & Protect Makeup Primer to be a nice product but not a holy grail for me. On the positive side the texture is very light - not siliconey in the slightest - and smooth. It feels like a light moisturising lotion when applying and as you can see below it does have an instant illuminating effect on the skin when blended in, producing an almost pearlescent sheen.

This primer can be worn alone if you have the right complexion, but pale old me looks more ghostly than ethereal with this alone so I'm only ever going to wear it as a foundation base. It did allow foundation to glide onto the skin smoothly as I'd expect and I like the added SPF protection for sun protection.

Where the primer falls below expectation is its mattifying claims as despite me habitually setting my makeup with powder before I headed out the door, I found myself reaching to powder my t-zone again before midday. Okay - I do have combination skin - especially at this time of year - so I think this primer would probably suit normal to dry skins better than mine.

Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation

I've read this is Rimmel's "new and improved" version but I haven't tried the original so I can't do the old comparison for you here but I can see how it fares according to the claims listed below. Spoiler alert: I was a little more impressed with this than the primer!

Skin matching due to "wonder-tone" technology resulting in weightless texture and invisible coverage. I have to say the shade 100 Ivory was a pretty good match for my skin and it definitely doesn't look made-up, although without powder it's just a little bit on the dewy side. Rimmel are on the mark with the weightless texture too as I pretty much forget that I have anything on when I'm wearing this foundation - it's one of the most comfortable I've tried and my skin doesn't feel there's a layer sitting on top of it at all. You can see in the picture below this foundation is quite liquid and almost runny so it's no surprise it feels so light on the skin. Despite the light texture it still provides good natural looking medium to full coverage as you can see when blended out (albeit quite heavily) on the back of my hand in the last picture.

Perfecting and blurring the pores. Yes it does a great job of taking care of those for me, especially on and around my nose.

Protecting the skin with 24HR moisture, SPF20 and Vitamin E. I'll hopefully never have to put the 24HR claim to the test but the dewy formula definitely feels moisturising on my skin. I was actually going to write that earlier so I'll say it now - it feels more like a lightweight moisturiser than makeup.

So my final thoughts? I was happy with the performance of this foundation and I can see it as an easy everyday choice. Match Perfection Foundation is available in 8 shades.

22 January, 2016

Now for the first nail post of 2016 and it's a product which was sent to me for review. Rimmel have finally launched their own patented two-step gel nail "system" which comprises a Super Gel nail colour and Super Gel Top Coat.

It's as simple as applying 1 or 2 coats of the Super Gel colour, followed by the Super Gel topcoat to activate curing without the need for a UV lamp. Rimmel says this should provide "up to 14 days of gel colour and shine" with easy removal using your usual nail polish remover.

My impressions:

Now for whatever silly reason the "two-step" method went over my head and - obviously on autopilot the first time I tried these polishes - I applied a base coat as I normally do. My finished manicure bubbled so horribly I had to remove it - take it from me and DON'T USE A BASE COAT! The second time was a lot more successful as I stuck to the script, applying two coats of colour followed by the Super Gel topcoat. I had no issues at all once I did as I was told! Application of both colour and topcoat were smooth and even and the result was a super glassy finish. The shade I received, Rock N Roll, isn't unique but is a gorgeously classic red cream and I enjoyed wearing it. Unfortunately I can't report that this manicure had exceptional lasting power and I started noticing chips at around day 4, which is what I get with most manicures. Removal was as easy as they say and the polish dissolved away easily with my favourite remover. Now for some pictures...

Full sun:

Indirect daylight:

The Super Gel Colour range offers 15 shades and is available from Priceline stores and pharmacies nationally.

Until next time.

(This product was provided for my consideration. All comments and opinions are my own.)

16 January, 2016

So here I am doing my blog housekeeping, clearing the backlog starting with my beauty empties from late last year. Even though I hadn't fully jumped onto the cruelty free commitment at that stage it's interesting to see just how many of these items are cruelty free especially when it came to skin care. For reference I've marked all cruelty free items as CF.

Skin care

130) bareMinerals Instant Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover (47ml/1.5 fl.oz) CF - This is the typical dual-phase remover that I favour although this formula seemed more oily than some I've tried. I've got a backup because of the handy travel size but other than that I don't think I'd rush to repurchase.

132) Natio Restore Delicate Foam Cleanser For Normal to Dry Skin (100ml/3.4 fl.oz) CF - The consistency of this cleanser made it incredibly hard to squeeze out of the tube. The product itself was nice (it lathered to a creamy foam that felt rich on the skin) but not enough to make me want to go through the daily struggle of trying to get it out in the first place!

133) Sukin Super Greens Detoxifying Facial Scrub (125ml/4.23 fl.oz)* CF- This creamy scrub was gentle enough to be used every day if I wanted and I really loved the natural cranberry scent.

134) La Clinica Anti Ageing Stem Cell Complex 3 Night Cream (50ml/1.76fl.oz)* CF - This is one heavy-duty night cream that gets to work and leaves me with soft skin the next morning. It feels very rich on the skin at first yet it penetrates quickly and is not greasy in the slightest. Another plus is there's no distracting scent or perfume which can - surprisingly - be an issue with some night creams out there on the market.

135) L'Oreal Youth Code Luminosity Extraordinary Serum (30ml) - I bought this some time ago because it claims to correct dark spots and illuminate the skin. No dark spot miracles here I'm afraid. It did illuminate the skin but honestly a good illuminating primer will do the same. This serum had a lovely texture and delicately luxe scent but I won't be repurchasing because I didn't really notice any lasting benefits and L'Oreal is not a CF brand.

Hand and body care

136) Shore Soap Company Mermaid Kisses Liquid Soap (235ml/8 fl.oz) CF - This can be used as a body wash but I used it as a luxury hand wash in our powder room - to impress the visitors you know! It has the most delicate yet not overly feminine scent, is really gentle and non-drying on the skin with its aloe-rich formula, yet as my son perfectly puts it: "It really cuts through the grease!"

137) Love Soap Handwash With Organic Lavender & Meadowfoam (200ml) CF - This is gentle on my eczema-prone hands was a repurchase and I'm likely to buy it again.

138) Miller & Moore Moisturising Shea Butter Hand Cream (65g) - This was gifted to me as part of an older Christmas set. I was surprised by how well this shea hand cream performed so I used it as my bedside hand pamperer. The Miller & Moore brand is one of those discount supermarket releases and seems to be discontinued so I can't find out much about it and I've got no idea of its CF status -although my guess is it's probably not.

139) Nivea Refreshingly Soft Moisturising Cream (75ml) - I'm sad that Nivea isn't cruelty free because this was a great multi-tasking moisturiser and very handy for throwing into my bag. I still have several Nivea products so I will continue to use them but won't repurchase unless their CF status changes.

140) Vaseline Intensive Care Spray Moisturiser Dry Skin Repair (190g)* - See my full review here. I really enjoyed the convenience of this moisturiser but unfortunately I won't be repurchasing as Vaseline is not cruelty free.

141) Natio Mineral Body Wash & Polish (210ml/7.1 fl.oz) CF - This is really great soap-free exfoliating body cleanser, scented with orange, peppermint and rosemary so it was a great early morning pick me up. Unfortunately it's been discontinued!!!

142) Miller & Moore Moisturising Shea Butter Body Scrub (100ml) - This was utterly useless with no scrubbiness at all so I promptly poured it down the drain.

143) SODA & Co Sugar Scrub (Mint Burst 225g)* CF - I loved this concept of a body scrub and moisturiser in one. If I have one criticism it's that I could easily get through a tub in a single week if I used it every day! Read my original review here.

145) Original Mineral Conquer Blonde Silver Shampoo (250ml/8.4 fl.oz) CF- I use this salon quality shampoo every other day to tone done brassiness in my hair and I've since repurchased (again).

146) Original Mineral Fine Intellect Conditioner (350ml/11.8fl.oz) CF - Another repurchased hair product because I like a conditioner to "condition" without weighing down my hair.

147) Organix Moisture + Vitamin B5 Shampoo (385ml/13 fl.oz)* - Damn I wish this brand was still cruelty free because this shampoo cleansed my hair without stripping it and it smelt pretty good too.

.

148) John Frieda 7 Day Volume In-Shower Treatment (118ml/4 fl.oz)* - This treatment is applied after conditioning the hair, left on for a few minutes then rinsed out. It's supposed to give added volume for up to 7 days but with my daily hair washing it only lasted 2 to 3 washes at best for me and then I had to go back to using my usual thickening sprays.

Cosmetics

149 & 150) Benefit The Porefessional - Yep this really does minimize the appearance of pores and worked well as a smoothing primer but I won't be buying it again because you know...

151) Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion (6ml/.20 fl.oz) CF - This worked really well to control shadows from sliding off my oily eyelids although I'm wondering if I'd prefer a more smoothing formula?

152) Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting Concealer (02 Nude) - This is a long-time favourite that I've repurchased several times - and I still have one more backup - but, alas, it will be the last as Maybelline is not cruelty free.

153) Essence Shimmer Effect Eyeshadow (Cappuccino, Please!) CF - This was a repurchase as this satiny beige was a great dupe for MAC Shroom but unfortunately it's been discontinued.

154) Nude By Nature Pressed Mineral Cover (Medium)* CF - I have mixed feelings about this pressed mineral foundation - I love it for natural looking coverage but I was having issues with hard pan. I have a review in the works so I'll tell you all about it soon.

158) bareMinerals Marvellous Moxie Lip Gloss (Show Off) CF - I'm having a bit of a love affair with bareMinerals lipsticks at the moment and I didn't mind this lip gloss either! It has a subtle mint scent and has a long-lasting, bleed-proof formula. This particular shade worked perfectly as a topper for my bareMinerals lipstick in the warm pink shade Speak Your Mind so I might consider a repurchase.

Fragrance

159) YSL Black Opium EDP (30ml/1 fl.oz) - I received this bottle as a gift from my husband for Christmas 2014 and as I'd finished this warm gourmand fragrance in record time - and my husband loved me wearing it - I received a backup bottle this Christmas. The fragrance notes are coffee, pink pepper, orange blossom, jasmine, vanilla, patchouli and cedar. I will be savouring the bottle much longer this time around.

160) Terry de Gunzburg Fruit Defendu EDP (1.5ml/0.05 fl.oz sample) CF - This sweet fruity cocktail smelt like summer to me and is now on my wishlist for a future fragrance splurge. Top notes are bergamot, mango and pineapple; middle notes are turkish rose and pink pepper; base note is white musk.

161) L'Occitane The Vert & Bigarade EDT (7.5ml/0.25 fl.oz) - This was another summer choice as it's a refreshingly green scent. The opening notes are sparkling citrus in an accord of sweet and bitter orange, while the base includes notes of green tea.

That's 2015 all stitched up! I'm a bit exhausted after going through that lineup so I'm off to have an afternoon lounge out in the yard...

(Products marked * were provided for my consideration. All comments and opinions are my own.)

12 January, 2016

I had an unintentionally extended holiday from blogging so this is why it's been quiet around here for the past month. It started out that I was just too busy to post in the lead up to Christmas and after a while I decided to allow myself the permission to step back and come back when I was ready to. I've been thinking about things in this space for quite a few months actually - and making some changes around here - so I decided to wait until I was ready to share with you. There's a great big hint in the picture below of what I'm talking about!

But first - a recap of how I did with my 2015 resolutions...

"1) Rather than doing 2 for 1 this year I'll use up (or cull) at least 1 makeup product before I buy a new product..."
Let me be honest here and say that I didn't keep tabs on myself so I don't know exactly how I did. I was keeping tabs on what I used up over the course of 2015 and if you follow me on Instagram you'll probably already know that I managed to finish 44 makeup products so that's encouraging. Did I buy 44 products (or less) last year? I didn't keep a tally on that side and my inkling is I possibly bought more than 44 but I don't want to sit down and work it out now! I should have been more disciplined about it obviously but, you know, somehow keeping tabs on all my purchases felt just a bit too anal - although that would clearly be the answer! Let's say that this resolution needed a bit more work to make it work.

"2) I've got waaaaay too many lip glosses in my collection so I'm going on a lip gloss buying ban FOR THE YEAR!"
Do you know what? I actually kept my word on this one! Being a lip product addict as I am I thought this would have been a toughie but I stuck it out and it made me appreciate the extensive collection I already have. Best of all I downsized my collection ever so slightly by finishing 7 glosses over the year. All I need to do now is revisit my collection and do a cull of products that have "turned" or just don't work for me so I end up with my perfect collection. After the discipline of last year I'm not in hurry to rush out and buy any more lip gloss so I've actually reigned that addiction in. Success with this resolution!

"3) My bronzers all look so new and unloved! I've already pledged on Instagram that I'm going to start wearing my bronzers and contouring products more regularly this year and now I'm going up the ante by challenging myself to hit pan on a bronzer!!!"
I failed miserably with this one. I got nowhere near to hitting pan on anything and I probably wore bronzer no more than once a week so hitting pan was never going to happen in 2015. On the positive side I did learn which bronzers were my favourites and as a result I'm now in love with Too Faced Chocolate Soleil for adding warmth and contouring.

"4) Finally, not so much a beauty plan but a blogging pledge: I'll make sure to post at least twice a week in 2015."I did manage to keep this up until November when I just ran out of steam. I'm hoping to maintain a steadier pace this year because I have a renewed sense of what I want to do with my blog.

*****************************

So what are my plans for 2016? Just a couple of things:

1) Going Cruelty Free
I have already quietly started this journey behind the scenes as I have been consciously choosing cruelty free makeup, skincare and hair care in my own purchases over the last 6 to 7 months. I fell off the wagon a couple of times - it takes time and a fair bit of research to get through the minefield of non-CF products - but I'm now ready to make this a CF blog. I still have my final 2015 empties post and a few non-CF products that I'm obliged to review for PR companies and I will get those posts up as soon as possible but from that point on this blog will be a CF zone - I will mark that milestone with a post of course! This has me truly excited and I hope you will stick around for the journey.

2) Joining in the "2016 makeup use up"tag
I came across this idea on Youtube via the Elle is for living channel. Elle has created a tag pledging to use up the proverbial truckload of makeup in 2016 and after my 2015 efforts I think I can do the same. I'm not going to be too specific about which items I'm targeting but I have set myself a target of using up 50 products this year. I've just finished 2 so there's only 48 to go, lol!3) Having fun!
Obvious but important. I've been blogging for 5 years now so it had better be fun or else what the hell am I doing here? I've decided I'm not going to be the biggest blogger on the block so I'm doing things on my terms - hopefully that will result in more creative, interesting content for me and you of course!